Time controlled electric switch



8- 4, 3 4 v R. D. DELAMERE TIME CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed June2a. 1928 o z 2 r o n m m y a: w my mm h v Am 0 o o v/ s 6 w 5 PatentedAug. 4, 1931 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEfJ 1;: minor! n. bar. or'ronoN'ro, onmmofcansns, Assumes T0. nELmnnn mnwILLIAms, or 'roaom'o,CANADA p p CONTROLLED ELECTRIC swtrcn I Application filed June 28,

principal objects of the invention are, to provide a simple form of timeswitch. for "controlling the operation of electrical devices for alimited period which may be instantaneously adjusted to operatefor'difi'erent periods and will operate with precision. The principalfeature of the invention consists in the'novel arrangement of a'tubularmember on a pivotal member supporting a lll'eontact breaker and theprovision of a gravitty actuating member within said tube to e set thetilting of the pivotal member.

A further important feature consists'in the N novel construction andarrangement ofthe 15 means for adjustingand limiting the movement of thegravity rated member.

In thedrawings, Flgure 1 is afront elevational view of the improvedtiming switch.

Figure2 is a front elevational view with "*8 a portion of the casingbroken away and the cover removed.- I Y Figure 3 is a verticalmid-sectional view through'the switch. I f Y I I W v In the apparatusherein shown the casing ,1 is of circular form and the upper portionthereof is provided 'with an extension portion2 from which an arm 3projects downwardly and supports a boss 4 opposite the v centre of thecasing. I N' A cover 5 isprovided' to enclosethe lower part of thecasing below the extension 2.

A threaded pivot'socket 6 is secured in the boss 4 in alignment with athreaded pivot socket 7 secured centrally of theback of the casing 1. va

A member 8 formed with a centrally 'arranged cylindrical portion 9 inwhich is se- V cured the tube 10 is provided'with a pair of threadedpivot points (11 and 12-which engage the pivot sockets 6 and 7respectively. k

s The tube 10 may be formed of glassor any other standard material andis formed with a central cylindrical bore 13 which flares outrwardlyateach end to the ends of the tube and the flared endsiare closedbytheplugs 14.

The central bore, 13 thus forms a' constricted passage intermediatel ofthe; length of the tube. i

a The tube is filled with a heavy fluid, such relative movement, beyond192 s. serial, mfzspse, j

as oil or glycerine and ball 15 is enclosed it in the tube. r Thediameter of the ball is very slightly smaller than the centralconstricted portion of the bore 13 so that it will movethrough thecentral portion actuated by gravity very slowly but when said ballpasses the end of the cylindrically bored portion itwill move rapidlyto't'he end where it unbalances the tube 10 and causes the same toassume a. vertical position as hereinafter described.

A stirrup clip '16 is suspended from the pivot point 12 and isfrictionally. held to the pivot by a washer 17Yengaged by a coil spring18' encircling the pivotpoint and held by a pin 19. This arrangementpermits of the certain limits, of the pivotand saddle. l r

A mercurytube 20 is supported in the stirrup member 16 and is providedwith electrical contacts and terminals which are connected with thewires 21 and 22. These wires are coiled to'render them extremelyflexible and aresecuredtobolts 23 which are insulated from the casing. i

The outward end of the member8 has secured thereto a flexible spring arm24 which 1 is inserted over the pivot point 12 and secured by a nut 25and is adapted to be turned by said arm to set' the tube 10 to thedesired angle as determined by an adjustable stop member as hereinafterdescribed. y i

The arm 24 is provided with buttons 0 knobs 26 at each end.

A finger 27 is pivotally mounted upon the pivot socket member 6 andextending from said member is a lug 28 which extends inwardly past theextension arm 3 and is adapt-. ed tobe engaged by the spring arm 24, butsaid spring arm may be moved past theend' of the lug 28 by its beingpressed inwardly toward the casing. The finger is'locked in Y saidposition by a thumb screw 29.

In the operation of this switch the indicating finger is moved towhatever position may be desired on the scaled portionof the coverasdetermined by the time in which the switch is tofoperate and thestop'lug 28 is moved with the finger 27 which is then locked 'by thethumb screw29. Assuming now that the tube 10 and contact tube 520 are intheir normal position (after operation) as shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings in which position the contact is broken in the tube by reasonof the tube 20 being held in the right inclined position by the tube 10which has been gravity-actuated in a counter-clockwise direction. Now,in order to again set the device to close the circuit in member 20 andhold it closed for a given time the tube 10 must be rotated in aclockwise direction by means or". arm 1% and this is accomplished in thefollowing manner.

It is necessary in resetting the tube 10 from the posit-ion shown inFigure 2 to turn the same clockwise each time one half of a completeturn plus the distance required to impart the required incline to sameas determined by the setting of stop lug 28. This requires that duringthe setting movement of arm Qat-one of the spring arms thereof (thefirst to encounter the stop 28 in the resetting movement) is pressedinwardly slightly to clear the lug and the rotation of tube 10 continuesuntil the other arm of member 24: encounters the stop lug 528 as shownin Figure 1 of the drawings.

The tube 10 has thus been moved to a position where the ball weight 15is at its upward end and concurrent with the setting movement of thetube 10 the stirrup member carrying the contact tube 20 has been movedclockwise therewith to a position where the projection engages the lefthand lug projection 31 which arrests the further movement of the stirrupholder closing circuit in member 20 while the tube 10 continues to moveindependently thereof to the set position. This relative movement of thetube and breaker is permitted by reason of the frictional connection ofthe two eliected by the spring 18.

The turning of the arm 2 lswings the tube 10 as described carrying thelower end with the ball contained therein above the axis and beyond avertical line passing through the axis. The ball drops rapidly in thediverging uppermost end of the tube as the tube is turned over due tothe ease with which the fluid is displaced at this point between theball and the wall of the tube until it reaches the constricted portionwhere it is checked in its downward movement and thereafter moves quiteslowly through the constricted portion of the tube in accordance withthe clearance of the ball in the tube and the viscosity of the fluid.

Immediately the ball passes through the restricted portion it drops tothe bottom and thereby imbalances the tube through the action of gravitycausing the tube to swing in a return or couuter-cloclnvise directioncarry ing the switch carrying stirrup therewith until the latter isarrested by the right hand stop lug 31 at which point the circuit isbr0- ken in tube 20 as shown in Figure 2.

The stirrup 16 is so located in relation to the spring arm 24 that whenthe said spring arm is moved into contact with the lug the mercury tubewill be moved to such a position that the contacts will be closed. hen,however, the tube swings to the return position the stirrup will bemoved back to break the contact.

It will thus be seen that the contact-breaker member 20 has only a verylimited movement in either direction, the setting tube 20 being movablerelative thereto beyond the limits defined by the stop lugs 31. In thisway the lead wires :22 extending to the breaker 20 will not interferewith the desired sensitivity of operation of the device as would be thecase if the breaker member had as great a latitude of movement ordisplacement as the gravityactuated member 10.

t will be readily understood that the period of time taken by the ballto pass through the restricted portion of the tube 10 will vary inaccordance with the inclination of same from the vertical, consequentlythe setting of the "gauge indicator 27 will in changing the position ofthe lug 28, effect a change in position of the tube 10 in relation tothe vertieal and thus alter the time allowance for the return of thetube to its normal substantially vertical position.

The stirrup carrying the switch tube is provided with a lug extension 30which is adapted to engage limiting lugs 31 on the inside of the casingand the member 8 carrying the tube will turn freely while the stirrupmoves only a short distance therewith until engaging one of the lugs 31but the frictional contact of the pressure of the spring 18 against thewasher 17 is sufficient to hold the mercury contact tube in the inclinedposition until the tube 10 is returned by the falling of the ball to thebottom thereof.

A counter-balance 32 is arranged on the outer end of the pivot 11 and isformed of a sheet metal member shaped in a quadrant form and loopedlongitudinally to provide a spring contact which will cause the arm torotate with the pivot but which will allow the pivot to turn freely inthe setting of the tube. This counter-balance is provided to compensatethe weight of the ball until it leaves the restricted central portion ofthe tube, thus holding the tube securely in its adjusted position whilethe ball is passing through the central restricted portion. \Vhen theball falls clear of the restricted portion of the tube it will swing thecounter-balance ith it. The counter-balance is preferably made ofsegmental form to bring its centre of gravity into alignment with thecentre line of the tube 10.

A switch such as described is extremely compact. The parts are verysimple and are not liable to get out of order and a considerand theswitch contact carried thereby.

2. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a pivotal member, anelectric contact member carried by said pivotal member,

a fluid filled tube mounted diametrically on said pivotal member andadjustable relative to said contact member in a direction circumferentially of said pivotal member and having a constricted centralportion with diverging outer end portions and a weight of slightlysmaller diameter than the central constricted portion adapted on thesetting of said tube to move rapidly inward from the end in thediverging portion and to move slowly on reaching the constricted centralportion said weight effecting the tilting and return of the cylindricalmember and said electriccontact member on reaching the oppositediverging end portion. I

3. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a horizontally mountedrotatable member, a tubular member secured in said rotatable member indiametrical arrangement, said tube having a constricted central portionand diverging end portions and enclosing a fluid, a weight arranged insaid tube adapted to pass slowly through the central constricted portionin a downward direction andon passing therethrough to swing the tube onits axis to its normal position, and a switch contact member mounted forlimited rotative movement with said pivotal member and being rotatablebeyond said limit relative thereto and adapted to swing with saidpivotal member a limited distance on the return of said tube to breakthe electrical connection through said switch member.

4. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a pivotal member, anelectric contact member carried by said pivotal member, a fluid filledtube carried by said pivotal member and adjustable relative to saidcontact member, said tube having a constricted passage intermediate ofits length, a weight adapted to enter and pass slowly through saidconstricted passage and rapidly at either end thereof to operate saidpivotal member and the switch contact carried thereby, and adjustablestop means for limiting the angular position to which said tube may bemanually set.

5. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a horizontally mountedrotatable member, a tubular member secured in said rotatable member indiametrical arrangement, said tube having a constricted central portionand diverging end portions and enclosing a fluid, a weight arranged insaid tube adapted on the setting of said tube to move rapidly throughthe uppermost diverging portion to the central constricted portion andpass slowly therethrough in a downward direction and on pasingtherethrough to swing the tube on its axis, a switch contact membercarried by said pivotal member to break the electrical connectiontherethrough,

and adjustable means for set-Ling said pivotal member with the tubularmember arranged in an inclined position. j

6. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a horizontally mountedrotatable member, a tubular member secured in said rotatable member indiametrical arrangement, said tube having a constricted-central portionand diverging end portions and enclosing a fluid, a weight arranged insaid tube adapted on the setting of said tube to pass rapidly inwardfrom the uppermost tube end in the diverging portion thereof and to passslowly through the central constricted portion in a downward directionand on passing therethrough to swing the tube on its axis, a switchcontact member carried by said pivotal member to break the electricalconnection therethrough, a flat spring arm secured to said pivotalmember and extending in transverse relation thereto, and an adjustablestop arranged to engage said spring arm to limit its tilting movement.

7. A timecontrolled electric switch, comprising a circular casing havinga front plate partially enclosing the casing and an overhangingforwardly projecting arm, a pivotal member supported between said armand the back of the casing and extending through said cover, a switchmember carried by said end engaging said pivotal supports, gravity.

actuated means carried by said pivotal member for swinging same on itspivots, a stirrup member pivotally mounted on said pivot member,friction means for swinging said .110 pivotal member within the casing,gravity stirrup member for a limited distance with the pivot member, amercury contact tube carried by said stirrup member, and means forregulating the movement of said stirrup member in relation to thegravity operating member.

9. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a casing, a pivotmember supported within the casing, gravity means for operating saidpivot member, and a mercury contact tube pivotally suspended from saidpivot member, and friction means for normally connecting said pivotedmember and tube to cause same to move a limited distance in unison.

10. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a pivotal member, anelectric contact member carried by said pivotal member and movablerelative thereto, a fluid filled tube carried by said pivotal memberhaving a constricted passage intermediate of its length terminating ateither end in a passage of greater cross-section, a weight in said tubeadapted on the setting of the tube to move rapidly inward from the endand to enter and pass through said constricted passage and to operatesaid pivotal member and the switch contact carried thereby, and meansfor counterbalancing the weight as it passes through the constrictedportion of the tube.

11. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a pivotal member, anelectric contact member carried by said pivotal member, friction meansinterposed between and operatively connecting said pivotal and contactmembers and permitting their relative movement, a fluid filled tubecarried by said pivotal member having a constricted passage intermediateof its length, a weight adapted to enter said constricted passage andpass therethrough to operate said pivotal member and the switch contactcarried thereby, and a counterbalance arranged on said pivotal memberand spring held in the counterbalancing position.

12. A time controlled electric switch, comprising a pivotal member, anelectric contact member carried by said pivotal member and movablerelative thereto, a fluid filled tube carried by said pivotal memberhaving a constricted passage intermediate of its length, a weightadapted to enter said constricted passage and to pass ther-ethrough andoperate said pivotal member and the switch contact carried thereby, acounterbalance rotatably mounted on said pivotal member, spring clutchmeans for holding said counterbalance in place on said pivotal member,and means for adjusting the position oi said counterbalance.

RUDOLF D. DELAMERE.

